How built in data validation can help save precious resources

Building Better Opportunities by building better information systems

By Kathryn on 24 Oct 2017

The latest mailing from the Big Lottery Fund about the Building Better Opportunities programme is all about data. Specifically, about correct, valid data. Programmes are going through all this trouble to collect, record, and report but what’s the point if none of it is readable?
I can hardly believe that organisations are supplying the Big Lottery Fund with a spreadsheet with REF! errors in them, but that’s exactly what this update is about.

It’s almost unbelievable that everything that is listed in this Essential Update is something that they have seen. Really, really silly errors that shouldn’t be happening and errors that of course, would never happen should a lead organisation be using a purpose built MIS along with their delivery partners.

Another thing that the news update brings up is the use of care of telephone numbers. Whilst the need for transparent collection of consent is a requirement now, with the introduction of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) next May this will become paramount, and something that a Management Information System (MIS) can help you handle very easily, and make sure you keep compliant.

We can’t help but think; what percentage of a grant is this inefficiency costing? Going over and over the same information making sure it’s valid just to have it returned again is surely a waste of time and could cause a delay in a grant payment. If the organisation was using a MIS this data would have been right first time as the system wouldn’t have allowed it to be saved in the first place.

We want everyone to benefit from using the system we have developed. The more time, money and effort saved in the administrative tasks means more resources to spend with the people that the grants are helping.
We’re offering the use of our MIS on a simple per user licence base. There’ll be no hidden extras in the pricing, and at the end of your programme your data is passed back to you as an CSV file. Simple, affordable and creates peace of mind in having your participants information backed up by an expert in online data management.

There are many other benefits in using a MIS to manage your data;
Less paper, less duplication - this helps put a tick in your cross cutting themes too!
And when your data is digital, it’s much more easily moved to where you need it. So FOI requests, audit trail reports and Spot Verifications can be mobilised much more quickly as everything you need is to hand, and we can help you organise what you need to if you need it in a specific format. In fact we are always to hand if you need us, whether you’re expecting to manage 100 or 10,000 participants you can rely on our MIS and dedicated support staff to be up to the task.

For a quick demo of the system please call or email us today.
No obligations and no pressurising sales people, just a few minutes to see if we can save you time or money or both!